How to become the leader you wish you worked for in 10 steps

Dr Ben Hamer is PwC Australia’s future of work lead, passionate about providing a fresh outlook to the changing world of work.

His book, The Kickass Career, focuses on reframing your mindset by tackling some big topics like values and purpose — because you can’t talk about jobs, careers and the workplace without giving a nod to the deep connection that they have with your identity.

In the extract below, Dr Hamer covers the 10 steps to take to become the leader you wish you had worked for, improving your own career and the ones of those around you.

The Kickass Career by Dr Ben Hamer. Source: supplied.

Being the leader you wish you worked for

I’ve trawled through a ridiculous number of research papers. I’ve interviewed heaps of leaders over the course of my own studies and work too. And through all of this, I’ve come up with my top 10 tips on what makes a good leader in the new world of work.

10-step strategy

1. Create a narrative about the future and be clear about reality

   Everyone can see the world changing around them. But it isn’t always clear how it will impact the organisation. Leaders need to give this direction. They need to provide a narrative that offers some clarity amongst all the uncertainty. And this narrative needs to be honest.

2. Advocate learning

   Workers need to invest a hell of a lot of time in upskilling and reskilling, and leaders need to empower their employees to do it. Some leaders see it as a failed investment, with employees jumping between organisations every couple of years. But the best workers will choose to work for companies that prioritise the development of their people. It shows they value them.

3. Role model flexibility

   Workers want flexibility. They perform better when they have it too. But it’s one thing to have a flexible working policy and another thing for it to be accepted as part of the company’s culture and ways of working. This tends to be determined by the degree to which it’s embraced and role modelled by leaders. I’ve seen some leaders sneak out the door to leave early and pick up their kids so no one would notice. No deal. Make that kind of behaviour known. If you want to work from home one day, don’t make some excuse about being sick. Let people know what you’re doing and that it’s important to you. This normalises the behaviour and removes barriers for others.

4. Champion diversity

   The data has been in for some time on this one. For organisations to succeed, they need to make sure that the people who work for them represent the customers and community they serve. They need all types of people with different backgrounds and experiences. As a leader, it isn’t just about recruiting a questionably-brown-or-just-really-tanned person and then wiping your hands of it. It’s about the full spectrum of diversity, including diversity of thinking. And more than that, it’s creating an environment of inclusion and belonging that makes the most of having a diverse team.

5. Provide a challenge

   Leadership is less about command and control. Less giving instructions and looking over someone’s shoulder. It’s more like being a coach. Provide direction and guidance, set the team up for success, and empower them to do their best work. Sometimes the leader might need to intervene. But it’s about giving people the autonomy to be creative, challenge the status quo, test their abilities, and be supported to take balanced risks while being held accountable.

6. Drive collaboration

   Organisational structures are flattening, and traditional boundaries are being torn down. Problems are becoming increasingly complex and can’t be solved by one team or one function alone. Teams will need to work together more and more. Leaders need to drive this collaboration with cross-functional teamwork.

7. Take on the tough decisions

   Being a leader is hard. If it’s not, you’re doing it wrong. Being a leader means giving feedback, including the bad stuff, and making some tough decisions. Heaps of leaders avoid confrontation and don’t feel comfortable telling someone if they’re not performing. You’ve probably seen it. Sometimes it isn’t straightforward or fair either. But it’s necessary. And best handled with solid information, strong values and empathy.

8. Build trust so you can work at speed

   A lot of the bottlenecks that happen in the workplace boil down to a lack of trust. Given the pace of work, leaders can’t control as much as they used to. They need to let go. And to let go, they need to trust their people. It’s like a trapeze artist. Just like a trapeze artist, workers are letting go from one bar and leaping to the next as they learn a new technology or take on a new role. And as leaders ask their workers to leap, they need to make sure there’s a net to catch them if they fall.

9. Make yourself visible

   Leaders need to be accessible. They need to be seen. With so much uncertainty, it provides some stability and reassurance. It’s not about needing to know all the answers. Admitting they don’t have the answers can come with some major street cred and build trust. Employees just want to hear from their leaders, because when they go quiet, people start to worry and the rumour mill kicks in.

10. Let yourself be outshone by others

    The best leaders surround themselves with talented people and they aren’t afraid of being outshone by them. They celebrate the success of others and showcase their teams. The sign of a good leader is that they have developed such a well-oiled machine that the team is able to function without them.

Leadership is experiential. And it’s not a one-size-fits-all sort of thing. It’s unique to you, your strengths and your experiences. So take these tips with a grain of salt and go with whatever works for you. But make sure that, whatever your style, it’s backed by some of the core skills for leading in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world of work.

This is an edited extract from The Kickass Career by Dr Ben Hamer, available now at Booktopia.